Tag Archives: Hockey Academy

The Anantapur Sports Academy (ASA) just concluded the 10th Anniversary celebration of its hockey academy earlier this year. And now it welcomed Andreu Enrich, the man who strengthened Hockey in Anantapur through the Stick for India project. Andreu is here to relive the 10th Anniversary celebrations and a decade long commitment to bring sports to rural India particularly Anantapur. He is doing that through the Stick for India and Hockey. Andreu spoke to us about this year’s camp and shared with us about how the 10 year celebrations have been very special. He also gave us some insights on the camp itself.

Andreu with some of the younger boys at camp

What made this year’s camp different?

The Stick for India camp structure hasn’t changed much. We trained the Anantapur Sports Village (ASV) Hockey Academy teams with a greater intensity this year. This is because we have observed that they continue to improve by leaps and bounds. However the coaching methodology and philosophy remains the same. We visited grassroot schools, played hockey games with the girls and the boys, spoke to their PE teachers and Headmasters, etc.

What did you have in mind when you brought more women coaches over this year?

The focus has always been to empower young girls through sport. We did not plan to have more women coaches this year. However, during the pre-camp period we floated a campaign to invite volunteer coaches. To our surprise, we received more applications from women coaches, and that favoured our aim at women empowerment.

The visiting Spanish coaches along with a few children from the camp

What was your aim of the camp this year?

We received support from Sportways. Its a Dutch company that extended support to the project by providing us their coaching methodologies, modules and kit. Their philosophy to hockey is based strongly on the concept of “Fun and Learning.” We believe in the same principles. We therefore aimed to ensure that more children play the sport and enjoy doing so during this year’s Stick for India camp.

The ASA celebrated the Hockey project’s 10th anniversary, how do feel when you look back to see your involvement with the project for so many years?

I am very happy to have been part of the project. The overall progress of the program has been very satisfying as the numbers at the grassroots grow at a fair pace. This motivates me to keep moving forward. For me initially, it was only about growing the reach of my sport and working with Rural Development Trust (RDT). Now it is completely different as the project is affecting so many lives in such a positive manner. I am just overjoyed about that fact. I do regret not being able to be there during the celebrations though but knowledge of the fact that the program celebrated its 10th year along with the opportunity I get to be here every year with all these beautiful and enthusiastic children makes me feel really wonderful.

Hockey India announced induction of Major Ports Sports Control Board as its 23rd Associate Member, Mumbai Schools Sports Association as its 2nd Hoc-Key Member and three new academy members in the form of Hockey Village India, Sri Guru Granth Sahib World University Hockey Academy, Fatehgarh Sahib (Punjab) and Mata Sahib Kaur Hockey Academy Jarkhar, Ludhiana.

Michael Nobbs training the Kids at MDC National Stadium: Hockey Village India

Hockey India currently has 26 Permanent Members, 23 Associate Members, 1 Member through State Olympic Associations, 9 Academy Members and 2 Hoc-Key Members.

Since its inception in 1976, Major Ports Sports Control Board has successfully participated in the zonal as well as national level championships around the year and which has helped identify players at a very young age. They even have to their credit of organising the ‘All India Major Ports Hockey Championship’ from over 30 years. Atulya Misra, I.A.S is the President and G Harichandran is the General Secretary of the Major Ports Sports Control Board. Continue reading →

FIH’s Hockey Academy is officially live and set to provide educational resources world-wide

First stage of Educator Workforce programme hailed a success

‘START Hockey’ online programme available for everyone

The International Hockey Federation’s (FIH) Hockey Academy is now live thanks to the delivery of stage one of the Educator Workforce programme alongside the launch of the START Hockey on-line programme. In partnership with the World Academy of Sport, the FIH Hockey Academy aims to deliver a simplified education framework for nations and continents to develop coaches, officials and managers from grass roots through to a high performance level.

Stage one of the Educator Workforce programme started during the Champions Challenge 1 in Glasgow, Scotland. A series of courses were held including Trainer training, Coach Educator training and a pilot of the FIH Hockey Academy Coach Level 1 Award. The FIH Hockey Academy Educator Workforce defines three levels – a Trainer, who trains Educators; an Educator, who educates coaches or officials; and a Coach, who coaches athletes. Continue reading →

During this Olympic season we, at the Jude Felix Hockey Academy, had the privilege to host Mr Manuel Fredricks, the 1972 Munich Olympics medalist at the JFHA ground.

1972 Munich Olympics Medalist Manuel Fredicks With JFHA Kids

Mr. Fredricks, a LION HEARTED goalkeeper of his times, hails from the Kannur district in Kerala. He donned the Indian colors from 1971 – 1978 & represented the country at the 1972 Munich Olympics, winning a bronze medal, which was the highlight of his career. He also guarded the Indian post with distinction at the 1971 Barcelona World Cup, 1978 Buenos Aires World Cup & 1974 Tehran (Iran) Asian Games, and also also served in the Indian Army [ASC]. Continue reading →

Garh Himmat Singh, one of the most laid back villages in eastern Rajasthan houses a Hockey Academy where more than 50 boys and girls have been playing the Indian National Game since a year. Andrea Thumshirn, a first division hockey player from Germany began this academy in July 2010 and aptly called it Hockey Village India.

We want a ground.. we will play even without it: Hockey Village India

The children from the village have been learning the game and improving at it each day. Though the conditions of the ground are those which no hockey stick in this world can stand – the dust, sand and stones are painful, the kids don’t mind because they know that their time on a “real” ground will come. Continue reading →